Facebook: Does it affect our health? - 1

Nowadays social media has taken the human race by storm. Throughout the world Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter etc. are now used by 1 in 4 people. Such activity may seem harmless but scientists advocate this can affect our health (especially mental) and happiness.

A recent study, from the University of Michigan, found that using Facebook may even make people's life miserable. Of course one of the major benefits for linking to the internet is the capacity to better connect with the people around us. Facebook's mission statement is to give people the power to share and make the world more open and connected. People use Facebook to stay connected with friends and family, to discover what's going on in the world, and to share and express what matters to them.

Well, we all have our own reasons for using Facebook. Some of us like to browse at other people's status and especially pictures, while some use the social media as a way to ventilate their emotions. But according to a Benedictine University study, one of the main reasons we use social media is for self-distraction and monotony relief. It is now well established about the hazards of the 'blue lights' – released from computers, tablets or Smartphone's. This suppresses the secretion of body's melatonin, which will keep one awake at night.

According to Dr S Rauch and her team from Benedictine University, it is not purely the use of social media that is getting out of control, but our need to be electronically connected at all times. She adds, "I think parents should be aware that their adolescent children are living at a time where they are constantly 'online' and connected. I would encourage any parent to explore ways to encourage or even mandate 'off' time, not just away from social media sites, but away from the devices."Certainly that is a good advice for all of us.

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